William King Sebastian
Encyclopedia
William King Sebastian was an American
planter, lawyer
, and U.S. senator from Helena, Arkansas
. He represented Arkansas
as a U.S. Senator
, Democrat, from 1848 to 1861.
Sebastian withdrew from the Senate at the start of the Civil War
and was later formally expelled
by the Senate. He took no active part in the Confederate
government, and was reinstated by a posthumous resolution in 1877.
Sebastian was born in Centerville, Tennessee
in 1812; sometime around 1834 he graduated from Columbia College, also in Tennessee
, and began studying law. In 1835 he was admitted to the bar and began practice in Helena, Arkansas
; later he became a cotton planter. From 1835 to 1837 he was a prosecuting attorney; he served as a circuit court
judge from 1840 to 1843, in which year he was made an associate justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court
. In 1846 he became a member of the state Senate, serving as its president until 1847. Also in 1846 he served as a presidential elector on the Democratic ticket.
In 1848, upon the death of Chester Ashley
, he was appointed to the United States Senate, subsequently being elected in his own right. He was reelected in 1853 and 1859. During his time in the Senate, he served as the chair of the Committee on Manufactures, as well as on the Committee on Indian Affairs. He supported Superintendent of Indian Affairs for California and Nevada. Edward Fitzgerald Beale
's plans to form a series of Indian reservations in California
, garrisoned by a military post, on government owned land. The Indians were to support themselves by farming. The first of these resevations, the Sebastian Indian Reservation
was named for him.
In July 1861 he was expelled for his suspected support of the Confederacy
. Upon his ejection from the Senate, Sebastian returned to Helena, where he lived for the duration of the Civil War
and practiced law. After federal troops occupied Helena, he moved to Memphis, Tennessee
, in 1864 and resumed the practice of law; he died there on May 20, 1865, and is buried in a private family cemetery in Phillips County. Sebastian County, Arkansas is named for him. In 1877, the Senate revoked the resolution of expulsion which they had passed upon Sebastian, and consequently paid the compensation due to Sebastian’s children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
planter, lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, and U.S. senator from Helena, Arkansas
Helena, Arkansas
Helena is the eastern portion of Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, a city in Phillips County, Arkansas. As of the 2000 census, this portion of the city population was 6,323. Helena was the county seat of Phillips County until January 1, 2006, when it merged its government and city limits with...
. He represented Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
as a U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, Democrat, from 1848 to 1861.
Sebastian withdrew from the Senate at the start of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and was later formally expelled
Expulsion from the United States Congress
Expulsion is the most serious form of disciplinary action that can be taken against a Member of Congress. Article I, Section 5 of the United States Constitution provides that "Each House [of Congress] may determine the Rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with...
by the Senate. He took no active part in the Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
government, and was reinstated by a posthumous resolution in 1877.
Sebastian was born in Centerville, Tennessee
Centerville, Tennessee
Centerville is a town in Hickman County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 3,793 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hickman County. It is probably best known for being the hometown of country comedian Minnie Pearl...
in 1812; sometime around 1834 he graduated from Columbia College, also in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, and began studying law. In 1835 he was admitted to the bar and began practice in Helena, Arkansas
Helena, Arkansas
Helena is the eastern portion of Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, a city in Phillips County, Arkansas. As of the 2000 census, this portion of the city population was 6,323. Helena was the county seat of Phillips County until January 1, 2006, when it merged its government and city limits with...
; later he became a cotton planter. From 1835 to 1837 he was a prosecuting attorney; he served as a circuit court
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
judge from 1840 to 1843, in which year he was made an associate justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court
Arkansas Supreme Court
The Arkansas Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Since 1925, it has consisted of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices, and at times Special Justices are called upon in the absence of a regular justice...
. In 1846 he became a member of the state Senate, serving as its president until 1847. Also in 1846 he served as a presidential elector on the Democratic ticket.
In 1848, upon the death of Chester Ashley
Chester Ashley
Chester Ashley was an American politician who represented Arkansas in the U.S. Senate from 1844 until his death....
, he was appointed to the United States Senate, subsequently being elected in his own right. He was reelected in 1853 and 1859. During his time in the Senate, he served as the chair of the Committee on Manufactures, as well as on the Committee on Indian Affairs. He supported Superintendent of Indian Affairs for California and Nevada. Edward Fitzgerald Beale
Edward Fitzgerald Beale
Edward Fitzgerald "Ned" Beale was a national figure in 19th century America. He was naval officer, military general, explorer, frontiersman, Indian affairs superintendent, California rancher, diplomat, and friend of Kit Carson, Buffalo Bill Cody and Ulysses S. Grant...
's plans to form a series of Indian reservations in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, garrisoned by a military post, on government owned land. The Indians were to support themselves by farming. The first of these resevations, the Sebastian Indian Reservation
Sebastian Indian Reservation
The Sebastian Indian Reservation was established on lands of in 1853 by Edward F. Beale in the far southeastern corner of the San Joaquin Valley in the Tejon Canyon. The reservation was within the Rancho El Tejon Mexican land grant, but Beale hoped if the land claims were upheld the land could be...
was named for him.
In July 1861 he was expelled for his suspected support of the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. Upon his ejection from the Senate, Sebastian returned to Helena, where he lived for the duration of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and practiced law. After federal troops occupied Helena, he moved to Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, in 1864 and resumed the practice of law; he died there on May 20, 1865, and is buried in a private family cemetery in Phillips County. Sebastian County, Arkansas is named for him. In 1877, the Senate revoked the resolution of expulsion which they had passed upon Sebastian, and consequently paid the compensation due to Sebastian’s children.
External links
- William King Sebastian at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...